Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Home , Ashendon Hundred, River Thame, Westlington

Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar

Aerial Photograph by UK Perspectives

Designated by the Council 5th March 2008 following public consultation

Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

page CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION Introduction ...... 1

CHAPTER 2 - PLANNING POLICY Planning Policy ...... 2

CHAPTER 3 - SUMMARY Summary...... 3

CHAPTER 4 - LOCATION AND CONTEXT Location ...... 4 Landscape Setting...... 4

CHAPTER 5 - GENERAL CHARACTER AND PLAN FORM General Character and Plan form ...... 6

CHAPTER 6 - HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT AND FORMER USES Origins and Ownership ...... 7 History and Development...... 8 19th Century...... 8 20th Century...... 9 Present Day ...... 10 Former Uses...... 12

CHAPTER 7 - ARCHAEOLOGY Archaeology ...... 13

CHAPTER 8 - ALTERATIONS TO BOUNDARY Alterations to Boundary...... 18

CHAPTER 9 - KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS Key Views and Vistas...... 22

CHAPTER 10 - OPEN SPACE AND TREES Open Space and Trees...... 25 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Area

CHAPTER 11 - PERMEABILITY Permeability...... 26

CHAPTER 12 - DEFINITION OF IDENTITY AREAS Definition of Identity Areas ...... 28

CHAPTER 13 - ARCHITECTURAL FORM AND MORPHOLOGY Gibraltar Lane ...... 30 Westlington House and Bigstrup Farm...... 33 Westlington Green ...... 36 High Street ...... 40 Dinton...... 43 Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton...... 47

CHAPTER 14 - KEY BUILDINGS Key Buildings ...... 50

CHAPTER 15 - DETAILS AND MATERIALS Roofs ...... 52 Walls ...... 55 Chimneys ...... 56 Windows ...... 57 Doors...... 58 Boundaries ...... 59 Surface Treatments...... 61

CHAPTER 16 - NEGATIVE FACTORS & ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Negative Factors and Enhancement Opportunities...... 61

CHAPTER 17 - GLOSSARY OF TERMS Glossary of Terms...... 62

CHAPTER 18 - GUIDANCE AND USEFUL INFORMATION Guidance ...... 66 Bibliography...... 67 Acknowledgements...... 67

APPENDIX I Map showing Conservation Area Boundary...... 68

APPENDIX II Conservation Area Constraints ...... 69

APPENDIX III Planning Policy ...... 70

APPENDIX IV Ford...... 71

APPENDIX V Asset Sheets

Designated by the Council 5th March 2008 following public consultation Information contained in this report is correct at the time of compilation, September 2007 © Aylesbury Vale District Council 2007 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

The Dinton and Westlington Conservation Area was designated by Aylesbury Vale District Council on 1st January 1971 and the Gibraltar Conservation Area on the 16th October 1991. The original designations covered almost all of Dinton and Westlington, and the small hamlet of Gibraltar, to the north of the A418. Changes made to the Conservation Area boundaries include minor alterations to the existing areas, as well as two larger extensions to include Westlington House in the Gibraltar Conservation Area and the existing Archaeological Notification Site and Scheduled Ancient Monument between Dinton and Upton. The boundary changes are discussed in Chapter 8.

This appraisal is produced to conform to the Council’s duty under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to review from time to time the Conservation Areas within their boundaries. It will also partially fulfil the requirements of the Best Value Performance Indicator, BV 219 b.

This appraisal identifies those characteristics that make Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar special and worthy of Conservation Area designation. It is acknowledged that this document cannot be comprehensive and where buildings, features and spaces etc. have not been specifically identified, it should not be assumed that they are without significance.

Wherever possible the boundaries of the Conservation Areas have been drawn tightly around the surviving historic buildings and plots. Some modern properties that have been built since the designation of the Dinton and Westlington Conservation Area have been removed from the Conservation Area boundary. Although these properties demonstrate the ongoing development and organic growth of Dinton, in the context of the designation criteria their historic interest is limited. The exclusion of these buildings is no reflection on the design or architectural aesthetics of the properties.

Where a modern building has been retained within the Conservation Area boundaries, it is usually due to one of the following reasons:

The building is surrounded by historic buildings and its removal would result in a hole in the Conservation Area.

The building occupies a plot which retains its original boundary layout.

The curtilage structures of the building e.g. outbuildings or boundary walls are of historic interest.

The building occupies a visually prominent plot and makes a positive contribution to the character of the surrounding area.

1 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 2 - PLANNING POLICY

Section 69.1a of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 places a duty on local planning authorities to determine which areas within their district are of ‘special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’1. Once identified these areas should be designated as Conservation Areas and regularly reviewed. As part of the designation and review process it is important to produce up-to-date appraisal documents that support and justify designation and which can be used to inform planning decisions affecting the Conservation Area.

The principal purpose of Conservation Area designation is the official acknowledgement of the special character of an area. This will influence the way in which the Local Planning Authority deals with planning applications which may affect the area. Within Conservation Areas permitted development rights are restricted, which means that applications for planning permission will be required for certain types of work not normally needing consent. A list of the type of developments that are controlled by Conservation Area designation is contained within Appendix I of this document. In Appendix II is a list of Planning Policies contained within Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Local Plan (January 2004) which relate to Conservation Areas and the management of the historic environment.

The process of public consultation adopted in the production of this document is laid out in the Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Statement of Community Involvement, as adopted in October 2006.

Upton Ro

Wallace oad Farm St Peter’s & Dinton N St Paul’s Aylesbury R Church Lane School A418 Dinton Hall Pasture Farm

Gibraltar The Wilderness Upton Road

Bottle & Glass New Road

Biggs Lane

Star Lane

Boot L

Street ane High Westlington Bigstrup Farm Westlington House

Westlington Lane

Map showing the 1989 Conservation Area boundary

1 Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 Section 69.1a

2 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 3 - SUMMARY

The historic cores of Dinton, Westlington and Upton are to be included within a single Conservation Area, separated from the small Conservation Area that covers Gibraltar and Westlington House by a small stretch of agricultural land. Within Gibraltar, Dinton and Westlington nearly all of the building within the hamlets are included within the Conservation Area boundaries. In Upton, where the surviving historic buildings are much more widely separated and there has been a substantial amount of modern infill development only the historic buildings that sit within or abutting the Archaeological Notification Site have been included within the Conservation Area.

The pattern of survival of historic building within the villages, coupled with evidence from historic map regression, gives us a detailed picture of the development of the area. It is clear that the different settlements were originally separated by large areas of agricultural land which have, over time, been built upon. New development seems, for the most part, to have followed the lines of the historic paths and trackways between the settlements.

The historic plan of the villages, and the roads between them, has remained more or less unchanged since the late 18th century and is easily identifiable on early maps and plans. There is a good survival rate of historic buildings within the area, and a wide variety of architectural styles, periods of building and materials represented in each of the villages.

Green space is limited within the villages. However, each settlement is surrounded by agricultural land, and the far reaching views across the countryside create a feeling of green and open space along most of the main streets. There is a strong sense of ownership throughout Dinton, Westlington, Gibraltar and Upton, and local residents value their villages highly. Strong boundaries delineate properties, providing enclosure along street edges and residents take good care of their houses and gardens. All these features contribute to the special character of the area.

It must be noted that Conservation Area designation cannot, in itself, prevent development, nor should it endeavour to do so as it would inhibit the natural organic growth of the settlements. However, it is important that designation and other forms of protection inform planning decisions and that modern construction should not be allowed to obscure that which is special about an area.

3 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 4 - LOCATION AND CONTEXT

Location The parish of Dinton is in the southern part of Aylesbury N Vale. Historically it was part of the hundred of Aylesbury. It sits four miles south west of Aylesbury, close to Thame, Haddenham and Wendover. Within the parish there are a number of small, discrete hamlets, these include Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar. Although these settlements are separated by areas of agricultural land,

historically they have close associations and their histories Aylesbury and development are intertwined. Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Dinton Parish has a population of 861.

Landscape Setting It is impossible to dissociate the hamlets of Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar from their surrounding landscape. The settlements were originally dispersed collections of farms which, over time, have been connected by further development. The hamlets sit within the landscape of the Aylesbury Vale, on gently undulating agricultural land.

To the north east of Dinton the village of Stone

occupies a prominent N hilltop position. Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar sit on a terrace approximately half way down the same hillside. From the villages the land slopes gently down to the south east towards Ford.

Not to any recognised scale

4 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

The elevated position that Dinton occupies ensures that the church and Dinton Hall are clearly visible when approached from the south east. It is likely that these high status buildings were sited in order to take advantage of the increased elevation and visibility of the site, emphasising the importance of the buildings. Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar are less easily visible from the surrounding area since they are heavily screened by a large number of mature trees and hedges.

Stone Nether or Lower Winchenden N Aylesbury

A418

UPTON Cuddington 120 100 GIBRALTAR 100 DINTON 90 Bishopstone 90 WESTLINGTON 80

Ford 70

60 Contours are shown in metres Haddenham

Kingsey 9 0

The Vale of Aylesbury provides fertile agricultural land due to the presence of rich alluvial deposits and gravels. To the south east of Dinton Parish the Chiltern Hills overlook the Vale. The underlying geology of the Vale is predominately limestone with sandy superficial deposits. Further south the Chiltern Ridge is chalk and flint. This abundance of local stone provided accessible building materials for the surrounding towns and villages. Close to Dinton there is also a belt of clay which follows the line of the River Thame. These clay beds provided materials for brick-making.

Dinton, Westlington and Upton are primarily agricultural settlements, taking advantage of the fertile land. Gibraltar also had early links with the turnpike, and the presence of a 17th century public house suggests that the hamlet was a stopping point for coaches and travellers making their way from Aylesbury to Thame.

2 British Geological Survey

5 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 5 - GENERAL CHARACTER AND PLAN FORM

Westlington and Upton are typical hamlet settlements. Originally made up of a collection of farmsteads, the villages have developed along the main streets. Westlington hamlet is now a small, nucleated settlement, set around a crossroads. The houses tend to be densely packed, with small, narrow plots that have minimal road frontages but extend to the rear creating characteristic long, narrow plots that may reflect early mediaeval field layouts. Upton has developed in a linear fashion, following the curve of the main street.

Dinton hamlet originally consisted of three of four farmsteads, separated from each other by fields and from the church and Dinton Hall by the Ford Road. In the 19th century the village school was built close to the church, and a number of cottages and small houses have been added over the last two hundred years, most facing onto the small green at the junction of School Lane and Ford Road. Dinton is difficult to characterise. The open area around Dinton Hall and church contrasts with the more densely built up area close the the green. The Glebe House sits in a large garden plot, the other houses along Ford Road are on much smaller plots and sit hard up against the road edge providing enclosure. Wallace and Pasture Farms are set apart from the rest of the houses, down a small road and surrounded by pasture and arable land.

Historically Gibraltar probably consisted of a single farmstead and an inn. Today the hamlet is larger, with a number of new buildings being added in the last 150 years, however, the general character of the hamlet has changed very little. The buildings making up the hamlet all have accesses off a single drive. The design and positioning of the historic buildings reflects that of a farm, even though the buildings are now in separate ownerships. The two modern properties within Gibraltar Conservation Area do not reflect the historic buildings around them in terms of materials or positioning, but the plot boundaries follow historic plot lines and are easily identifiable on 18th and 19th century maps.

6 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 6 - HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT AND FORMER USES

Origins and Ownership The name Dinton is likely to be Anglo-Saxon in origin, although the earliest documentary reference to the Parish and Manor is in Domesday Book. At this time the settlement was named ‘Danitone’, meaning Dunna’s estate, and was in the ownership of the Bishop of Bayeux. The ancient manor house of Dinton is no longer standing.

The earthwork remains of a number of deserted villages and hamlets close to Dinton provide evidence of mediaeval occupation in the area. Some of these are identified Deserted Mediaeval Villages (DMVs), and are designated Archaeological Notification Sites. The closest of these to Dinton is the DMV located to the south and east of Wallace Farm. The surviving earthworks are, for the most part, well preserved, as are a number of associated mediaeval ridge and furrow field patterns There is also a Scheduled mediaeval moat which is identifiable on aerial photographs.

Between 1464 and 1789 the Manor changed hands regularly, passing from Royal to private ownership a number of times. The Parishes of Westlington and Ford remained part of the Manor into the late 18th century.

1900 map of Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar showing areas of former historic development

7 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

History and Development The Jefferys County map, dating from 1770, shows Dinton as a tiny hamlet, comprising of the church and Dinton Hall and a few other buildings. At this time Westlington was a much larger settlement than Dinton, with a substantial number of buildings along the High Street and in the area now occupied by Westlington House.

To the north east of Westlington sits the tiny hamlet of Gibraltar. Jefferys County Map 1770 Map reproduced with permission of the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies Gibraltar contains two or three small farmsteads and the Bottle and Glass public house. To the south of Gibraltar, on the road between Westlington and Bixthorpe, two buildings are shown. These may be the original buildings on the site of Bigstrup Farm.

The 18th century road layout is still identifiable today, although some sections of the High Street have changed their alignment slightly and a number of new roads between the village and the Oxford Road (A418) have been added. In areas where the historic roads have been lost, such as the road from Westlington to Bixthorpe, there are often surviving footpaths that follow the historic highway.

The Parish of Dinton was enclosed in 1802, following an act of parliament. At that time the tithes of the Manor went to the Vicar and the three principal land owning families - the Rapers, Goodalls and Franklins. Enclosure will have greatly altered the layout of the fields around Dinton. It may also have been at this point that New Road was built and the roads leading north west from Westlington Green to Bixthorpe were cut off.

Dinton hamlet appears to have expanded to the south and east between 1770 and 1825, with a small collection of houses appearing around the junction of School Lane and Church Lane. To the east of Dinton is a small collection of farm buildings including Wallace Farm and Pasture Farm. These buildings are close to the remains of a possible Deserted Mediaeval Village. In contrast Westlington seems to undergo very few changes to size and layout between 1770 and 1825.

19th Century The late 19th and 20th century OS maps of Dinton and Westlington are at a much larger scale than the earlier examples. This allows more accurate comparisons between them. The 1885 map of the area shows a number of buildings still identifiable in the villages today, and the present day road layout was almost entirely in place by the late 19th century. Dinton and Westlington are still discrete hamlets at this point, separated by an area of undeveloped land identified as The Wilderness. This area appears to have been part of the garden of the Dinton Hall.

8 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

1885 map Map reproduced with permission for the Centre of Buckinghamshire Studies

It is during the 19th century that a number of new farms appear on the maps. Also, by 1885 Westlington House is shown on its present site, a large Edwardian villa, with a number of associated lodges and large planned gardens.

20th Century Although there is some alteration to field boundaries between 1885 and 1900, and some small in fill development in the centre of Westlington and Dinton there are very few changes in the form and size of the hamlets.

By 1922 the fields along New Road have been divided up into smaller plots, and some new houses have been built towards the southern end road. In Gibraltar new buildings are visible on the southern side of the main road. At this point it is clear that a number of the smaller field boundaries begin to be lost, as new farming machinery becomes prevalent and larger fields become more efficient to manage. 1922 Map Map reproduced with permissionfor the Centre of Buckinghamshire Studies

9 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

By 1958 Westlington had undergone substantial growth. A number of new houses were built along New Road, and in the centre of the village many of the small gardens that were present on the 1922 map had been built upon. Dinton is less built up, but there are still a number of new properties visible on the maps. The 1958 Map outlying farms to the Map reproduced with permission for the Centre of Buckinghamshire Studies east of Dinton have had many new barns and ancillary buildings added, but retain the separation between individual complexes. To the east and south of Gibraltar a number of new houses have been built. Most are set centrally on large plots, and are detached, contrasting with the close set historic properties clustered around Gibraltar Lane.

Present Day Both Dinton and Westlington have N

experienced some Upton

Ford development in the Road last fifty years. For

oad the most part new Upton R ad Dinton Wallace Ro Farm ury St Peter’s & sb St Paul’s yle development in the A Church Lane 418 A Dinton School Hall villages has been Pasture Farm

Gibraltar The oad confined to small Wilderness Upton R

Bottle & Glass N e w R o scale in-fill building, a d

and most of these Biggs Lane modern properties Star Lane Boot L

Street ane are visually in High Bigstrup Farm Westlington Westlington keeping with the House

e an L n to scale and materials g of the nearby Westlin historic properties. 2007 Map Gibraltar has experienced little in the way of development since 1958. For the most part new building has been spread out along the line of the A418, rather than in the historic core of the hamlet. A number of modern houses are set in plots that follow the historic field boundaries dating from the later 19th century.

10 Upton

Ford

Road

oad Upton R Dinton Possible deserted Wallace Mediaeval village Farm St Peter’s & St Paul’s Aylesbury Road Church Lane A418 Dinton School Hall Pasture Farm

Gibraltar The oad Wilderness Upton R

Bottle & Glass New Road

Dinton,Dinton, Westlington, Gibraltar Upton & Upton& Gibraltar Dinton, Westlington, UptonandGibraltarConservationAreas Biggs Lane Map showing construction periods of properties

Star Lane C12th & C13th C19th

Boot L & C13th

Street ane High C16th C20th

Bigstrup Farm Westlington House Westlington C17th Post 1961

C18th 1989 Conservation Area boundary Westlington Lane Not to a recognised scale C Crown copyright. All rights reserved. N AVDC Licence No 10009797 2007 11 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Former Uses: Agriculture: It is clear from historic maps that the history and development of Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar have been greatly influenced by agriculture and changes in farming practices. Well into the 20th century farming formed the core economic activity within the area. Most of the farmhouses within Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar survive, but are no longer associated with working farms.

Commerce: It is likely that Dinton and Westlington will have originally be serviced by small shops and workshops. The names of many buildings suggest historic commercial and industrial uses such as The Forge, on Ford Road.

Hospitality: Both Dinton and Westlington contain historic inns and alehouses - The Seven Stars on Star Lane and La Chouette on Westlington Green. Gibraltar also has a surviving public house, The Bottle and Glass, which has recently undergone complete refurbishment following a fire.

The presence of these buildings suggests that the hamlets were regular stopping places for travellers on the road between Aylesbury and Thame. It is likely that hospitality was important to the economy of the three settlements from very early on in their history.

12 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 7 - ARCHAEOLOGY

The following summary of the archaeology of the Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Area is based on information held in the County Council’s Sites and Monuments Record.

Neolithic to Bronze Age (c 4000 - 700 BC) flint tools and flakes have been found at a number of locations around Dinton parish. Late Iron Age and Roman artefacts (c 100 BC - AD 410) are also recorded, notably from near Aerial Photograph of existing Archaeological Notification Site Lower Farm, Upton. Crop-marks between Dinton and Upton - BCC Sites and monuments record visible on aerial photographs in a Data supplied courtesy of Buckinghamshire County Council Archaeological Service field just to the northeast of Upton may also relate to a site of later prehistoric or Roman date. An Early Saxon cemetery was discovered around the folly known as Dinton Castle on the ridge to the north of the Conservation Area since the castle’s construction in the eighteenth century. Twenty more burials were found, sixteen with associated grave goods, during an archaeological excavation conducted in advance of the construction of a modern golf course. The cemetery was dated to the late 5th to 6th centuries AD and consisted of two family groups, which appeared to respect an earlier field boundary. The cemetery’s siting at highest point in the parish close to the junction of the Aylesbury Road with the road from Ford is worthy of note. Although the Pagan Saxon burial, Dinton Castle evidence is limited the overall picture is one Photograph supplied courtesy of Buckinghamshire County Council Archaeological Service of a landscape settled and organised from prehistoric times.

Upton and Dinton are recorded in the Domesday Book (1086 AD). Dinton was a substantial manor with 35 villager, 7 smallholder and 8 slave households with land for 13 ploughs, an equivalent value of meadow and a mill. Upton was divided into three manors with a total population of 28 villager, 10 smallholder and 7 slave households with land for 16 ploughs, meadows, woodland, a mill and an eel fishery. In the medieval period the modern parish was divided into smaller units, sometimes called “townships”, and developed a complex and dispersed pattern of settlements and manors atypical of the Vale of Aylesbury where nucleated settlement forms were the norm. Whilst Dinton, Ford and Upton came under Aylesbury Hundred, Aston Mullins and Waldridge were part of Ashendon Hundred and Moreton was a detached part of Desborough. There are documentary records for ten manors in total, including Dinton, Upton, Westlington, Nether Upton and Blomers which may have lain within the Conservation Area. Across the parish there are many earthworks surviving from the

13 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

medieval period marking the sites of abandoned or shrunken hamlets and moated manors; notably at Aston Mullins, Ford, Moreton, Waldridge and Upton. There may have been yet another moat at Dinton Hall, although only traces now survive. Placename evidence suggests that there could also have been outlying medieval farms at Bigstrup Farm (formerly Bixthorpe) and Gibraltar (formerly Littleworth) as the placename elements -thorpe and -worth are respectively of Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon derivation referring to a farmstead. In contrast the names incorporating the element -tun normally refer to larger settlements.

Within the Conservation Area the most significant archaeological remains lie south of Upton and east of Pasture Farm. Aerial photographs reveal earthworks of a moat, sites of buildings, trackways and ridge and furrow cultivation. The moat island is roughly rectangular measuring 110m by 90m within which is a fishpond and traces of possible buildings. It is thought to be the site of the “Manor of Blomers”, a small manor which was “intermixed with Ford”. West of the moat substantial foundations and traces of a possible formal garden are visible – this could be the site of a post-medieval “great house”. North of the moat there are earthworks of an abandoned settlement stretching along a former lane as far as Upton where medieval pottery has been found. Further study of this area would be needed to elucidate what appears to be a significant complex of medieval and early modern features that disappeared sometime before 1800. Other archaeological remains of possible medieval origin are the moat and foundations of a stone building recorded at Dinton Hall, some earthwork “house platforms” at Westlington and a few fields of ridge and furrow which survive off Upton Road and on the east side of the deserted village.

The church of St Peter and St Paul is the oldest standing building in the parish and occupies a central position at the crossroads of routes leading to Upton, Westlington, Ford and the Aylesbury Road, although there are hints in the village plan that the crossroads might have shifted north having earlier occupied the small green to the south of the church. There was a stone building here by the twelfth century, of which only the ornately carved south doorway remains. The thirteenth century saw the building of the chancel and the rebuilding of south aisle and south arcade, which were altered in the nineteenth century. The north aisle and north wall of the nave were built in the fifteenth century whilst the tower is nineteenth century. Old village stocks have been placed in the church porch and the location of some almshouses demolished in 1927 is still visible in the churchyard south of the church.

As noted above, Dinton Hall probably lies on the site of a medieval manor house - the origins of the present building are not entirely clear but it is essentially a much renovated sixteenth century house with later alterations. It is associated with a sixteenth or seventeenth century circular dovecote. A walled garden seems to have been established in the seventeenth century followed by more extensive gardens known as the Wilderness in the eighteenth century. The garden stretched south to Biggin Pond and incorporated several other fishponds including Ivy Pond, Upper Moat and Lower Moat (now infilled). The shape of Biggin pond is reminiscent of a duck decoy, although whether it was used as such is not known. In the seventeenth century Dinton Manor was held by Simon Mayne, one of the signatories to Charles I’s death warrant. A bolt-hole thought to have been used by him after the Restoration was found in the Hall in 1804. An unusual feature of the gardens was a “hermits cave” occupied by Mayne’s clerk John Bigg, who by local tradition was said to have been Charles’ executioner. After the restoration Bigg seems to have suffered a mental breakdown wandering around begging scraps of leather out of which he made his own shoes and clothes. His “cave” is thought to have lain at the southwestern end of the Wilderness. Another eccentric structure associated with Dinton Hall is Dinton Castle, an eighteenth century sham gothic castle built by Sir John Vanhattem in 1769 on the Aylesbury Road as an eyecatcher and to display his collection of fossils. 14 2

1 Upton

Ford

Road 13

Upton Road 5 Dinton Wallace Farm

Aylesbury Road 7 St Peter’s & Lane St Paul’s 4 A418 Dinton Church School Hall Pasture 6 Farm 8 Gibraltar The Wilderness 11 Upton Road Dinton, Westlington, Bottle Upton & Gibraltar & Glass New Road 13 Map showing archaeological areas

ane Archaeological Dinton, Westlington, UptonandGibraltarConservationAreas Biggs L Notification Sites

ane Star L ScheduledC12th & C13th

Boot L Ancient Monument Street ane PossibleC16th deserted 10 High Bigstrup 9 Mediaeval Village Farm Westlington House Westlington 9 Archaeological sites referred to in the text 12 ane 1989 Conservation ConservationC17th Area boundary Area boundary Westlington L Not to a recognised scale

As noted elsewhere many other historic buildings in the Conservation Area date to the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; although some may preserve earlier features than indicated by their list description. Dinton Hall provides an early example of the use of brick, but the local vernacular building traditions were witchert or timber-framing with thatched roofs. This character is strong in Westlington where thatched witchert and timber buildings cluster around a small green. Brick only became widespread in the nineteenth century. Tile was also used as a roofing material.

Characterisation of the historic landscape around Dinton, Westlington and Upton indicates that the dominant historic landscape type is parliamentary enclosure fields, which were created by enclosure of the medieval open fields in 1803. There are also significant areas of pre-18th century irregular field patterns created by earlier piecemeal enclosure, historic meadows and the parkland at Dinton Hall. These historic field patterns survive best in the eastern parts of the Conservation Area and to its south and also north of the Aylesbury Road but around Westlington are much altered by modern reorganisation and sub-division. The overall settlement plan is one of a loose agglomeration of small “nucleated clusters” strung along the slope behind the ridgeline to the northwest. There is little sign of the deliberate planned form seen in some medieval villages rather this amorphous character seems to reflect a long and complex evolution from an early dispersed pattern of manors with the church at the parish’s focal point; the desertion of parts of Upton in the late medieval period and the creation of at least one, and maybe a second, great house and garden in the sixteenth to seventeenth centuries. Speculatively, this process might have lead the settlement to shift its balance westward with Westlington growing at the expense of Upton and Dinton but further research is needed. Running through the parish are two longer distance roads of historic interest – the Aylesbury Road and the Portway - both of which linked the medieval towns of Aylesbury and Thame. The former takes a classic ridgeline route whilst the latter’s - port name refers explicitly to a route to an early market.

Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar Conservation Area lies in a parish with important prehistoric, Roman and Saxon remains and is known to contain important remains of medieval and post-medieval date. Their main foci are around the church and Dinton Hall and between Pasture Farm and Upton. Other parts of the settlements are less well known but have potential for medieval and perhaps earlier remains, whilst the vernacular buildings are themselves of archaeological interest. It will be important to protect the archaeological earthworks, landscape features and buried remains. The medieval moat to the east of Pasture Farm is a scheduled ancient monument and therefore enjoys legal protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. It is an offence to undertake works or operate metal-detecting equipment on the site without prior permission of the Secretary of State. Landscape archaeology reveals something of the antiquity and complexity of the settlement form which so defines its character, and to which the road network and patterns of historic fields in and around it are related. The “Wilderness” garden at Dinton Hall with its historic structures and water features makes a significant contribution to the Conservation Area. Views south from the hall, garden and church towards Biggin Pond and the wider historic landscape are of historic significance, as are views of the scheduled moat from Upton. The medieval ridge and furrow of the medieval open fields and the hedged fields which replaced them contribute to the setting of the Conservation Area, and the archaeological remains within it.

Significant archaeological remains are identified as “Archaeological Notification Sites”, an advisory status for the local planning authority. Archaeological information is held on the County Sites and Monuments Record and regularly updated. The effect of development on

16 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Maps showing land use in the landscape surrounding Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar in 1800 Data supplied courtesy of Buckinghamshire County Council Archaeological Service archaeological remains is a material planning consideration. Applicants for planning consent may be required to undertake field evaluations to inform decisions and/or conditions may be applied to safeguard archaeological interests. For further information and advice contact the County Archaeological Service on 01296 382927. 17 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 8 - ALTERATIONS TO BOUNDARIES

The alterations have extended the existing Conservation Areas in Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar.

The existing Conservation Area boundaries have been extended to include the following properties and areas:

Garden to west of Rose Cottage and to east of Endsleigh(1): These areas are important to the views along the Main Street, and retain their historic plot layouts.

Bigstrup Farm (2): An important complex of listed farm buildings set within a 19th century field system.

Westlington House and grounds (3): An important non-listed building that has retained a number of its historic features. The gardens still follow their historic boundary lines. The lodge is a listed building.

Hermits and Willow Cottage and associated grounds (4): Important listed farm complexes (now private dwellings) that have retained their historic features and boundary layouts and include a number of mature trees within their curtilages.

Garden to west of Ivy Cottage(5): The existing boundary bisects the garden of Ivy Cottage. For the sake of clarity the boundary should be extended to include the whole plot.

Area of land to north of La Chouette (7): This land is important to the setting of nearby Listed Buildings and is prominent in views along the High Street to the east and west.

Garden to south of Mole End (8): The existing boundary bisects the garden of Mole End. For the sake of clarity the boundary should be extended to include the whole plot.

Gardens to north of Witchert and Newfield House (10): and north of Saddlestones(11): The existing boundary bisects the gardens of these properties. For the sake of clarity the boundary should be extended to include the whole of each plot.

Section of New Road (12): For reasons of clarity boundaries should follow distinguishable features on the ground. The boundary along New Road shall be altered to follow the front (eastern) boundary walls of High Lea, Chiltern View and Lilacs.

18 21

Upton

Ford

Road 17

oad Upton R 19 22

Dinton Wallace Farm St Peter’s & St Paul’s Aylesbury Road Church Lane A418 Dinton 18 School Hall Pasture Farm 20 Gibraltar The oad Wilderness Upton R

Bottle & Glass New Road 15 1 13 Dinton, Westlington, Dinton, Westlington, UptonandGibraltarConservationAreas

Biggs Lane Upton & Gibraltar Map showing alterations to 12 C19th Stars Lane Conservation Area boundary 11 Boot L 1989C20th Conservation Bigstrup 10 Street ane Farm 14 High Area boundary 4 9 2 Post 1961 Westlington Areas excluded 3 House 7 Westlington

Areas1989 Conservationincluded 6 Area boundary Lane 5 Westlington 8 Not to a recognised scale C Crown copyright. All rights reserved. NN AVDC Licence No 10009797 2007 19 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Land to north east of Little Meadow and Village Hall (15) This land is important to the setting of the Conservation Area and is prominent in views along Upton Road to the east and west. The plot form follows historic boundary lines.

Blenheim Farm (16): An important complex of listed farm buildings.

Dinton Croft (17): An example of 19th century villa style architecture, unusual within the context of Dinton and Westlington.

The Coach House, The Old Barn, Wallace Farm and The Old Foaling Box, and land to North of The Coach House (18): These are important listed and non-listed farm complexes, set apart from the rest of the historic core of the Conservation Area. The historic plot boundaries have been retained and there are a number of visible archaeological remains and evidence of historic field systems within the fields to the north of the buildings.

Land to north of School Lane (19) and Pasture Cottage, Lakeside Barn and Pasture Farmhouse (20): These are important listed and non-listed farm complexes, set apart from the rest of the historic core of the Conservation Area. The historic plot boundaries have been retained and there are a number of visible archaeological remains and evidence of historic field systems within the fields to the south and east of the buildings.

Upton Thatch, Field Cottage, Upper Farmhouse, Upton Barn, Middle Barn, Barn End, The Farmyard, Lower Farm and Chestnut End, Upton Road (21) These buildings, most of which are listed, form the historic core of Upton hamlet. The buildings and their curtilage structures are clearly visible from the surrounding area and retain visual links to the agricultural landscape and nearby Archaeological Notification Site. As with Pasture Farm and Wallace Farm these groups of buildings were orginally part of larger farm complexes, but are now split into different ownerships.

Archaeological Notification Site to the east and south of Pasture Farmhouse (22): This area contains a large number of visible and important archaeological remains including a scheduled mediaeval moat and earthworks of deserted mediaeval hamlets, ridge and furrow and the possible site of a later great house and gardens. The remains are set within pre-18th century and parliamentary enclosure fields.

20 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

The existing Conservation Area boundary has been altered to exclude the following properties:

Dimora, White Gables and Greendale (6) and Ashridge House and The Corner House (13): These are all modern properties that have obscured the historic layout of the plots and the historic plan of the village. The exclusion of these buildings is no reflection on the design or architectural aesthetics of the properties.

3, Westlington Lea (9): For the sake of clarity the boundary shall follow the rear boundary line of Wootton Farmhouse, Magnolia Cottage and Sweet Briar

Cornerstones and Stone Mead (14): These are modern properties that have obscured the historic layout of the plots and the historic plan of the village. Their visual impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area is limited as they are both hidden behind tall boundary walls.

Modern properties to be retained within the Conservation Area:

Saddlestones and Little Meadow: These buildings occupy important corner plots that are easily visible from public highways.

Pinehill: An important modern building that is easily visible from within the Conservation Area and in long reaching views into Westlington and Dinton. The building makes use of unusual materials and architectural detailing.

Witchert and Newfield House:

These buildings occupy visually important plots on the High Street frontage.

The alterations have extended the existing Conservation Areas in Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar.

21 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 9 - KEY VIEWS AND VISTAS

In both the Conservation Areas there are important views. In each area the kinds of key views are greatly influenced by the landscape and the architectural form.

Within Gibraltar and Westlington long views are rare, given the relatively flat topography in these hamlets. There are Street view along the A418 in Gibraltar straight views along the main roads and streets, for example along the A418 through Gibraltar, and a number of key buildings are visible at a distance, such as La Chouette, Westlington Green. On the minor streets and paths leading from these areas, such as Gibraltar Lane and Wootton Lane, unfolding views are common. These tend to be framed by boundary hedges and trees. In both areas views over the surrounding agricultural land are found, particularly from the View from the end of The Green ends of access roads and footpaths.

Along the High Street and Stars Lane views are much shorter. The area is densely built up and many buildings abut the road edge creating strong lines. Views along the streets are curtailed by tall buildings such as The Old Store. There are distinctive unfolding views along Stars Lane and the unusual curve of the High Street creates a series of curtailed views which lead the eye along the road. From within this part of the Conservation Area it is difficult to find any views Unfolding view along the High Street of the surrounding countryside.

Within Dinton, where changes in ground level are much more noticeable, long reaching views to the north, east and south are characteristic. From the churchyard there are some particularly good views to the south, towards the Chiltern Hills. This area, in contrast to the High Street Area, still has strong visual ties with the historic farmland which surrounds it. The principal religious and secular buildings, the church View of the Chilterns from Dinton Churchyard and Dinton Hall, are both found in this part of the Conservation Area, and are clearly visible when approaching the hamlet from north, east and especially the south. It is likely that these buildings were sited to take advantage of the natural rise in ground level and to increase their visual prominence. As a result of their position the church and Dinton Hall are important landmarks.

The long reaching views of the agricultural landscape characteristic of Dinton are also common within and around View of field cottage in Upton Upton and along School Lane. The curving western end of School Lane, bordered by tall hedges and trees, creates unfolding views which open up on the approach to Pasture Farm. At the eastern end of School Lane, where the road starts to turn northwards, long reaching views of the surrounding farmland predominate. There are a handful of landmark buildings within this part of the Conservation Area, including Field Cottage in Upton and Dinton Croft, Upton Road. 22 23 24 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 10 - OPEN SPACE AND TREES

With the exception of the High Street area Dinton, Gibraltar, Westlington and Upton are all heavily planted and appear very green.

Within the hamlets many of the streets and roads are bordered by wide grass verges, such as those found along either side of the A418. These grass verges are a distinctive feature of the area, and enhance the green and open character of the villages. Many of the main streets are also lined with tall hedges and important trees. Grass verges and hedges along the A418 The settlements are surrounded by working agricultural land, which is clearly visible from within the Conservation Areas. This undeveloped land is important to the setting of the Conservation Areas and reflects the agricultural history of the area as a whole. Of particular importance is the area of farmland to the east of Pasture Farmhouse and Wallace Farm, where a large number of archaeological features are clearly visible on the ground.

Gibraltar Lane is lined with tall trees and hedges which create a feeling of enclosure. The area to the south of the A418, Gardens around Westlington House around Westlington House, is green and open, with large gardens and fields to the south, east and west.

The hamlets of Westlington and Dinton both have large greens, visible from the surrounding streets. Westlington Green provides a contrast to the enclosed High Street, and is an important green space. Around the green most property boundaries are lined with hedges, and the small lanes which lead from the green to the north and west are also bordered by tall hedges and trees. Dinton Green is much smaller, and enclosed on two sides by brick and masonry walls. There are a large number of mature trees in Dinton Churchyard, and in Westlington Green the grounds of the Dinton Hall.

The High Street/Stars Lane area of Westlington contains far fewer trees than the other parts of the Conservation Areas. Many of the private gardens in the area are hidden from view behind tall walls and hedges. There are wide grass verges along New Road, and part of the northern end of the High Street, but elsewhere buildings abut the road edge creating an enclosed feeling that contrasts with the green and open character of the other areas. Dinton Green

25 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 11 - PERMEABILITY

The A418 to Thame is a busy main road. Gibraltar sits on the northern side of this road, with its houses and farms clustered around Gibraltar Lane. There are a number of small footpaths through the fields to the north of Gibraltar, but vehicle access is limited.

Dinton sits to the south of the main road, the A418 Aylesbury / Thame Road. Originally the primary roads in Dinton (Ford Road, Upton Road and the Aylesbury / Thame Road) appear to have formed a clear rectangle, with a fourth road running northwards from Westlington Farm to the Aylesbury Road. At some point in the 18th or early 19th centuries New Road was built, and the older road abandoned. Today the line of the old road is still visible as a footpath through the Cricket Ground. The main roads in Dinton, particularly Ford Road, are used by drivers travelling southwards from the A418, but are not particularly busy

There are many secondary routes in Dinton and Westlington, most of which follow historic field boundaries such as Biggs Lane. The secondary routes tend to run at 900 to the primary roads. With the exception of Stars Lane and School Lane very few of them join primary roads at both ends. Many are only used by residents, for example School Lane is a narrow single track, serving only the small collection of farms along its length and the village school.

Around Westlington Green there are no major highways as none of the routes are through roads. The hamlet sits at the crossroads of two secondary routes, which radiate out from the central green to north, east, south and west.

There are a large number of public footpaths around Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar. Most of these follow historic field boundaries, and many join up the historic hamlets or lead to larger settlements nearby.

With the exception of the two village greens there is little public space within the hamlets. Most of the surrounding land is agricultural, although there are access footpaths and bridleways across the fields. The green spaces within the Conservation Areas tend to be private gardens.

In general the roads around Dinton and Westlington are narrow and enclosed. The two hamlets, particularly in the High Street Identity Area, contain many narrow, enclosed streets that may originally have been footpaths and cart tracks. These extremely narrow streets, such as Stars Lane, are characteristic elements of Dinton and Westlington and should be preserved. Gibraltar Lane is a similar narrow street, but is a cul-de-sac.

26 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Ford Upton

Road

Upton Roa

Aylesbury Road Dinton Lane Gibr altar A418 School

New Road Upton Road

Biggs Lane

Star Lane Boot Lane Street

High Westlington

gton

Lane Westlington

Primary Routes Conservation Area boundary Secondary Routes and Driveways Footpaths

27 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 12 - DEFINITION OF IDENTITY AREAS

Gibraltar Lane Identity Area: The Gibraltar Lane Identity Area contains the small collection of houses that sit along Gibraltar Lane. This is the historic core of Gibraltar, and it is likely that the whole hamlet was originally part of a single farm complex which has been divided up over time. The area has a strong sense of enclosure along the Lane, but the area around the Bottle and Glass is open and the public house is clearly visible from the A418.

Westlington House and Bigstrup Farm Identity Area: The Westlington House and Bigstrup Farm Identity Area contains two private houses set in large plots on the southern side of the A418. Both houses have associated lodges and outbuildings and are clearly visible from the surrounding area. The wide gardens and surrounding agricultural land create a feeling of openness on this side of the road and there are a number of important views into and out of the Identity Area.

Westlington Green Identity Area: Westlington Green contains a large proportion of 17th century properties set along four short streets which form a distinctive crossroads. The wide verges create a feeling of space and openness, but the hard building boundaries which abut the verges enclose the edges of the space. There are a number of important views within the Westlington Green Identity Area, and out across the surrounding countryside.

High Street Identity Area: The High Street Identity Area covers the area between Westlington Green and Dinton Hall. The buildings in the area vary in date from the 16th to the 20th centuries and are built in a variety of styles and materials. The roads in the High Street area form a distinctive square, the centre of which may originally have been undeveloped. The majority of buildings within the square are late 18th and 19th century in date, which may suggest recent infill of an earlier common. For the most part the streets in this Identity Area are narrow, and the properties on either side sit close to the road creating a strong sense of enclosure within the area as a whole.

Dinton Identity Area: This area, historically the core of Dinton Hamlet, contains the principal religious and secular buildings within the collection of hamlets, the church of St Peter’s and St Paul’s and Dinton Hall. Both the Dinton Hall and the church have mediaeval origins, but the area also contains a number of more recent houses, dating from the late 17th century onwards. The openness of the area, with the buildings set around small greens, contrasts with the more enclosed feeling of the High Street Identity Area.

28 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Ford

Road

Pasture Farm Wallace Farm and Upton Upton Road

Wallace Farm oad St Peter’s & St Paul’s Church Aylesbury R

A418 Lane Dinton School Hall Pasture Dinton Farm

The Wilderness Gibraltar ton Road Up Lane Bottle & Glass New

Road

High Biggs Lane Street

Hig

Stars Lane Streeth Westlington

House and Boot L

et ane Bigstrup Farm Stre High

Bigstrup Farm Westlington House Westlington Green

Westlington Lane

Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton Identity Area: This area contains four separate collections of farm buildings, Upton Farm, Lower Farm, Pasture Farm and Wallace Farm. Whilst some of the buildings in the area have 16th and 17th century roots the majority are later additions, such as 19th century barns and farmhouses. The large area of agricultural land surrounding the farms is a registered Archaeological Notification Site, and contains a small Scheduled Ancient Monument. The area contains a large number of archaeological features, which are well preserved and easily visible in aerial photos and on the ground.

29 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 13 - ARCHITECTURAL FORM AND MORPHOLOGY

GIBRALTAR LANE IDENTITY AREA - MORPHOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE:

Topography and Street Form: Gibraltar is a small hamet, clustered around a single lane which branches off the main A418 at right angles. Very few of the buildings are visible from the road. Nearly all the buildings within Gibraltar sit close to the Lane, and as a result the area has a strong sense of enclosure.

Views: There are limited views within Gibraltar, due in part to the many mature hedges and trees present. There are unfolding views of Foxglove Farm and Meadows Edge on the approach along Gibraltar Lane. From the main road approaching Gibraltar the Bottle and Glass and the other houses fronting the main road are easily visible to the east and west. There are limited views of Gibraltar from the north and south, as the hamlet is screened from view by tall trees and hedges.

Position of Buildings: With the exception of the modern buildings along Gibraltar Lane most of the properties within Gibraltar sit off centre within small plots, close to or hard up against the street edge. The positioning of the buildings close to the road edge reflects the agricultural history of the area, as it allows for the largest possible workable agricultural land around each building.

Boundaries: Within Gibraltar most boundaries are hedged, or have post and rail fences. There is one example of a low wall and hedge. The boundary to the Bottle and Glass is very open, with a low post and rail fence. This ensures that the public house is easily visible from the road to passing traffic.

Trees and Enclosure: There are a number of large trees and hedges within Gibraltar that provide enclosure along the public rights of way. The site of the Bottle and Glass is exceptional, in that it is open to the front and side and has very few trees within its grounds, creating a contrasting open feeling at the end of the enclosed Gibraltar Lane.

30 altar Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Bottle & Glass

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

Gibraltar Lane Identity Area

31 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Materials Brick, render, tile and thatch are all common materials within Gibraltar. Most of the historic buildings are at least partially thatched or show signs that they were originally thatched. Many of these buildings are rendered. More recent buildings tend to be constructed in brick and tile, although there are also examples of modern houses having been rendered and painted.

Date: The majority of the historic buildings in Gibraltar are 17th and 18th century in origin, although many have been subsequently altered and extended. There is one example of 19th century building, and a number of 20th century chalet bungalow style properties.

Density: Building density has historically been fairly high in Gibraltar, although the most recent buildings in the area have been built on larger plots. This high density may reflect the history of the settlement. It is likely that the hamlet of Gibraltar started as one farmstead, and then split ownerships later as it grew.

Heights, Scale and Form: Single storey houses are unusual in Gibraltar. Two storey houses are present in Gibraltar, but there are few of them. There are a number of properties with 1 ½ storeys, and dormer windows on the eaves line. The prevalence of this form reflects the predominance of thatch as the historic roofing material in the area.

Roofs and Gables: Many of the roofs in Gibraltar are hipped or half hipped, again reflecting the historic roofing materials present in the village. More recent buildings tend to be gabled.

Fenestration: Fenestration patterns are irregular on the majority of buildings in Gibraltar. Most windows are small, casement openings. There is one example of more regular window positioning, Rose Cottage on the A418 has regularly positioned vertical sliding sash windows. Dormer windows are common throughout Gibraltar.

Architectural Detailing: There are very few distinctive architectural details on the houses in Gibraltar. The handpainted signage, painted directly onto the Bottle and Glass public house is an unusual feature, and adds character to the building.

32 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

WESTLINGTON HOUSE AND BIGSTRUP FARM IDENTITY AREA - MORPHOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE:

Topography and Street Form: There is a slight slope in ground level down towards the south from the A418. The A418 runs east west through the area with smaller side roads and private drives springing off it at right angles.

Views: The area is characterised by long reaching views that include large areas of agricultural land. Westlington House is easily visible from the south, Bigstrup Farm is visible from the north. Views along the A418 both east and west are framed by the wide verges and tall hedges and trees that border the road.

Position of Buildings: The buildings within the Westlington Green Identity Area are generally positioned in one of two ways. Large buildings, such as Bigstrup Farmhouse and Barns, are set well back from the A418. Small buildings, such as Westlington Lodge, are set much closer to the road edge.

Boundaries: The boundaries along the southern side of the A418 are almost exclusively hedged, although this is accompanied by post and rail fencing for most of the length of the Conservation Area. The small sections of wall close to Westlington Lodge are set back from the road, and are hidden in views along the A418 by the thick hedges on either side.

Trees and Enclosure: The open feeling of the area around Westlington House contrasts with the enclosed space along Gibraltar Lane. Trees and tall hedges frame views into and out of the area, and create soft edges along the main road and footpaths.

Materials: Tile, brick and render are found on the more recent buildings in this area. The oldest buildings also make use of timber framing and rubblestone walls. The 19th century Westlington Lodge is thatched, contrasting with the brick and tile construction of Westlington House.

33 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Bigstrup Farm

Westlington House

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

Westlington House and Bigstrup Farm Identity Area 34 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Date: There are very few buildings within this area, so there is no discernable trend in the dates of construction. Bigstrup Farm is 16th century in date, with many later additions and outbuildings. Westlington House and Lodge are 19th century constructions. Bigstrup Lodge appears to be 20th century, although it may contain some earlier fabric.

Density: In contrast to other Identity Areas, the building density within the Westlington House Identity Area is very low.

Heights, Scale and Form: With the exception of Westlington House, which is 2 ½ storeys tall, the buildings within the Identity Area tend to be 1 ½ or 2 storeys tall. The large scale of Westlington House and Bigstrup Farm makes them distinctive within the context of Dinton and Gibraltar.

Roofs and Gables: Buildings within the Westlington House Identity Area tend to be gabled, although the thatched roof of Westlington Lodge is half hipped. Chimneys tend to be ridge line, although there is a mix of gable end chimneys and more centrally located stacks.

Fenestration: Fenestration patterns are irregular, with varying sizes and positions of windows. The majority of windows in this area are casement openings. Westlington House has distinctive bay fronted windows at ground and first floor with leaded lights. Small dormers are common features, usually located at eaves level.

Architectural Detailing: Westlington House is a visually distinctive building, built in an Edwardian style with clear arts and crafts influences. The building has lost its original windows, but many of the other traditional features associated with this style remain, for example the lead roofed projecting bay windows, and the small hipped gables above the dormer windows.

35 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Westlington Green Identity Area - Morphology and Architecture:

Topography and Street Form: The streets around Westlington Green are fairly flat, although there is a slight slope up towards the High Street. Westlington was historically separated from Dinton by areas of agricultural land. The hamlet is made up of four short streets that spread out from a central green and crossroads. The streets lead off this crossroads at 90o to one another, pointing to the north-east, north-west, south-east and south-west. Views: There are views along the four street streets towards the central green. From the ends of each of the streets the farmland surrounding Westlington is clearly visible, and in some places there are long reaching views across the fields. The pub on the green (now La Chouette) is an important landmark within Westlington.

Position of Buildings: Almost all of the properties on Westlington Green abut the road edge. Later properties are set further back from the street, behind gardens or small front yards e.g. White Gables and Dimora. There are two historic farmhouses, Hermits and Willow Cottage, that are set apart from the other houses in Westlington. Historic maps show these buildings were adjacent to a road between Westlington and Gibraltar which has since been lost.

Boundaries: Hedges are the most common boundary feature, most boundaries hedges also include a number of small trees. These boundaries give the whole area a feeling of greenery, and creating soft boundary lines. Rough stone walls are uncommon within the hamlet, although there are some examples to be found. Most have tile coping. Close-boarded fencing is not a traditional feature on front boundaries, although it is found on side and rear boundaries.

Trees and Enclosure: Tall trees tend to be confined to rear and side boundaries, or are present as decorative features within gardens. There are very few trees in the public spaces in Westlington. The streets have a feeling of enclosure, as they are bordered by houses, walls and tall hedges but they all open up onto the central green - a wide public space.

36 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Willow Cottage

Hermits Cottage

White Gables

Dimora

The Green

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

Westlington Green Identity Area 37 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Materials: Rendered or painted stone and witchert are the most common building materials in Westlington. There is very little exposed stone. Slate and tile are both found on properties within Westlington. Slate tends to be confined to later 19th and 20th century properties. Tile is found on buildings of varying ages. Thatch is the most common roofing material within the Westlington Identity Area. There are also examples of properties with unusually steep tile roofs such as Inglenook Cottage. It is likely that these properties were originally thatched, but that their roofing materials have been replaced over time. There are some examples of weatherboarding to gables. La Chouette is unusual within Westlington as its front elevation is made from flint with brick detailing. This is the only example of this form of building within the hamlet. The rear of the building is rendered and painted in a similar fashion to other buildings nearby.

Date: The majority of the historic houses in Westlington are 17th century in date. A number have had later extensions, mostly dating to the late 18th and 19th centuries. There are some examples of 19th and 20th century infill development, including the modern houses along Westlington Lea.

Density: The building density in the Westlington Identity Area is lower than that of the High Street. There are very few terraces. Most houses are 17th century in date, sitting on long narrow burgage style plots. The consistency in date of buildings, plot size and alignment indicates that the properties along the southern edge of the green may have been built as part of a planned development, perhaps making use of existing mediaeval field boundaries. Most buildings have some garden space. Most of the historic properties are set on the edge of their plots, with gardens to side and rear. The positioning supports the assumption that these buildings were originally agricultural dwellings - they sit on the edge of plots to allow for maximum practical farming land on each plot.

Architectural Detailing: A number of the houses in Westlington have unusual architectural details. However, these details tend to be confined to individual properties and are not characteristic of the area as a whole.

38 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Heights, Scale and Form: For the most part buildings in Westlington are small scale, with low ridge and eaves heights. The majority of the historic buildings in the Identity Area are 1 ½ storey cottages, with half hipped gables. The historic cottages tend to be small hall house style cottages, that have been repeatedly extended over the centuries.

Roofs and Gables: Nearly all properties in the Westlington Identity Area have gabled or half hipped roofs. The thatched cottages in particular have half-hipped gables, as these are more effective at dispersing rain water than gabled ends would be. One property, The Green, is hipped at the eastern end of its roof. Dormers are found on some properties, although they tend to be small and set low on the roof. Historically eaves and ridge heights were low, however the more recent buildings in Westlington have much taller eaves and ridges.

Fenestration: Fenestration patterns in the Westlington Identity Area tend to be irregular. Windows are, for the most part, small wooden casements. There are some examples of sash windows in the later properties.

39 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

High Street Identity Area - Morphology and Architecture:

Topography and Street Form: Streets in the High Street Idenity Area are narrow but become less enclosed at junctions, which are often wider. They are relatively flat, but building plots are steep in places on either side. The streets in this area form a loose grid square, the centre of which is filled with small houses on narrow, long plots.

Views: The eye is led down the narrow streets, particularly Star Lane and Biggs Lane. Many views along the streets are framed with hedges and trees.

Position of Buildings: The oldest properties tend to be positioned close to or abutting the road. Later properties are set further back from the road edge, behind gardens or small front yards.

Boundaries: There are a large number of trees and hedges along the property boundaries, giving the whole area a feeling of greenery, and creating soft boundary lines. Rough stone walls are common, most have stone coping although there are examples of brick coping. Brick walls are less common, although there are some examples associated with more modern properties. Close-boarded fencing is not a traditional feature on front boundaries, although it is beginning to creep in. Hedges are the most common boundary feature, most boundaries hedges also include a number of small trees.

Trees and Enclosure: Enclosed streets bordered by houses, walls and tall hedges. Tall trees tend to be confined to rear and side boundaries, or are present as decorative features within gardens.

40 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Upton Road

Biggs Lane

High Street

Stars Lane

New Road

Boot Lane

Street High

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

High Street Identity Area 41 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Materials: Brick and painted brick are both found within the High Street Identity Area, however rendered stone and witchert are the most common building materials. There is very little exposed stone, although some houses along the High Street have exposed stone footings. Slate and tile are both found on properties within the High Street Identity Area. Slate tends to be confined to later 19th and 20th century properties. Tile is found on buildings of varying ages. Thatch is still present on a number of the oldest buildings within the High Street Identity Area, particularly along Biggs Lane. There are also examples of properties with unusually steep slate or tile roofs. It is likely that these properties were originally thatched, but that their roofing materials have been replaced over time. Date: Many buildings in the High Street Identity Area are 17th century, although there is some 18th and 19th century and 20th century infill.

Density: Building density, is fairly high in this area, particularly in the central square. Most buildings have some garden space. Many of the detached properties are set in the centre of moderate plots, with gardens to side and rear.

Heights, Scale and Form: 1 ½ and 2 storey buildings are the most common in this area, although there are some examples of 2 ½ storey buildings such as at Westlington Farm Barns. For the most part buildings within this area are small and set on small plots, filling the plot width.

Roofs and Gables: Most of the buildings within the High Street identity Area are gabled, many with their gables facing the street.

Fenestration Fenestration patterns tend to be irregular, often with a mixture different kinds of small casement window. Some of the 19th century buildings have sash windows rather than casements, but these are unusual within the area.

42 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Dinton Identity Area - Morphology and Architecture:

Topography and Street Form: There is a pronounced rise in ground level from the south of Dinton up to the church and Dinton Hall. The position of these buildings, on higher ground, reinforces their high status and ensures that they are easily visible from the surrounding area. Dinton hamlet focuses on two sets of junctions along the Ford Road. To the south, the crossroads where Ford Road meets Upton Road and to the south the triangular junction with School Lane, which leads eastwards towards Pasture Farm and Wallace Farm before turning and heading south towards Upton.

Views: Long reaching views of the church and Dinton Hall, framed by trees and hedges, are key to the character of the Dinton Identity Area. There are also characteristic unfolding views along the winding roads and footpaths that lead out of the village, for example along School Lane. These tend to be confined to thoroughfares that border agricultural land. From the Churchyard and Upton Road there are a number of long reaching views across the surrounding countryside towards Chiltern Hills.

Position of Buildings: The cottages and smaller buildings of Dinton sit close to or abutting the road edge. The larger properties within Dinton sit much further back from the street, behind large gardens and tall boundary walls.

Boundaries: Along the streets and paths that border agricultural land hedges are the most common boundary features. Boundaries around domestic properties tend to be tall rough stone walls, some with tile coping. There are no easily visible examples of close boarded fencing. Some of the fields nearby have open post and rail fencing as well as boundary hedging. Trees and Enclosure: There are many tall trees along the field boundaries. There are also examples in the Churchyard, the garden of The Glebe House, and on the small green at the junction with Upton Road. There are many other small trees and shrubs throughout the area. There are very few trees in the public spaces in Dinton. The tall walls and tree hedges around the Dinton Identity Area, coupled with the large number of buildings which abut the street edge, create a strong sense of enclosure along the streets in this area. This feeling of enclosure contrasts with the openness of the two small greens on Ford Road, which are important spaces.

43 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Materials: Exposed stone is the most common building material in Dinton. The majority of buildings have tile roofs. Dinton Hall in particular has a fine decorative tile roof. There are examples of thatch within the Identity Area, for example at Blenheim Farm. It is likely that a number of the smaller cottages were also thatched originally.

Date: The Dinton Hall and church both have their roots in the 12th and 13th centuries, although they have been greatly added to and altered over the years. The other houses in Dinton date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, with one or two examples of more modern infill.

Density: Building density in Dinton is mixed. The density of building on the eastern side of Ford Road is quite high, with a number of small terraced houses and old farm buildings. On the western side of the road, where the Dinton Hall and the church are, the building density is extremely low, with both buildings sitting on very large plots. Most of the buildings in Dinton have some associated green space. The oldest, terraced cottages that abut the main road have the smallest gardens, with later properties occupying larger plots. The location of the earlier buildings, close to the edges of their plots, supports the assumption that these buildings were originally agricultural dwellings positioned to allow for maximum practical farming land on each plot.

Heights, Scale and Form: The cottages and farm outbuildings in Dinton tend to be small scale constructions of single or 1 ½ storeys. Ridge and eaves heights are low. The larger, late 18th and 19th buildings are much larger. They have taller ridges and eaves heights and are, for the most part, two storey constructions.

Roofs and Gables: There are examples of hipped roofs on some modern buildings, but these are not a traditional form within the Church Identity Area. All of the historic properties in Dinton are gabled. There are no examples of hipped roofs. Dormers are found on the smaller houses, but tend not to be present on the later buildings, where gabled projecting wings are the norm.

44 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Ford Road

Upton Road

The Glebe House

St Peter’s & St Paul’s Church

Dinton Hall ane

School L

Upton Road The Wilderness

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

Dinton Identity Area 45 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Fenestration: Fenestration patterns in the Dinton Identity Area tend to be fairly regular. Windows are, forthe most part, traditional wooden casements. Windows tend to be broken up with decorative glazing bars. Leaded lights are popular in the oldest properties. Dinton Hall in particular has small leaded light casements with finished stone window surrounds and mullions.

Architectural Detailing: A number of the houses in Dinton have unusual architectural details. However, these details tend to be confined to individual properties and are not characteristic of the area as a whole. The most obvious example of this being the decorative rooftiles, chimneys and windows of Dinton Hall.

46 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton Identity Area:

Topography and Street Form: Pasture and Wallace Farms are set on an area of sloping land, which rises from the south towards the Upton Road. Upton Road then rises up a little further as it enters the village of Upton, which is positioned on the highest part of the ridge. School Lane is relatively flat following the line of an east west ridge.

Views: Views along the School Lane are limited, due to large amount of planting along property and field boundaries. Most views within the identity area are framed by trees and thick hedging. To the south east of Wallace Farm the road curves to the north. The bend in the road creates interesting unfolding views. Within the archaeological notification area there are a number of far reaching views both into and out of the Conservation Area. Within Upton hamlet the distinctive curve of Upton Road provides a series of unfolding views of the historic buildings that line the road.

Position of Buildings: The buildings within the this identity area are clustered together in groups, each one representing a historic farmstead. There is a mixture of building positions. To the north and east of School Lane the farm buildings sit close to the street edge, to the south at Pasture Farm the buildings are more spread out, and extend further away from the road. Within Upton the farm buildings are set further back from the street edge.

Boundaries: Boundaries in the Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton Identity Area are almost exclusively hedged, some with post and rail fencing. To the north of Lakeside Farm there is a short section of stone boundary wall, and the buildings that are positioned next to the street edge provide hard boundaries which contrast with the softness of the trees and hedges elsewhere in the area. Within Upton there are some examples of stone and witchert walls that have tall hedges behind. These tend to abut the Upton Road and are, for the most part, rendered and painted.

Trees and Enclosure: There is a strong sense of enclosure in the Pasture Farm and Wallace Farm identity area, created by the tall trees and thick planting along the road edges and plot boundaries. There are a large number of mature trees within the area which provide enclosure, frame views and generally add to the character and appearance of the area as a whole.

47 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Upton Road

Wallace Farm

Lane School Pasture Farm

Loss of enclosure Visually important boundaries

Indicating rise in ground level Walls, fences, railings Strong building line Hedges providing enclosure

Trees providing enclosure Hedges, with railings or walls

Conservation Not to a recognised scale

Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton Identity Area

48 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Materials: Most of the buildings along the eastern end of School Lane are brick built. Elsewhere within the area there is a mixture of material. Within Upton there are a number of buildings built in rough stone. Some of these are rendered and painted. There are also examples of timber framed cottages within Upton, one of which still has its thatched roof. Timber boarding is found on the various barns and farm buildings around the area.

Date: The area contains a mix of 17th, 18th and 19th century buildings. The oldest buildings tend to be the farmhouses, with the majority of the large barns and outbuildings being of later 19th century construction.

Density: The buildings within the Pasture Farm and Wallace Farm identity area are clustered together in small groups - originally groups of farm buildings around a house, but now separate dwellings. These groups of building are fairly densely packed around open farmyards. However, each is separated from the others by large areas of undeveloped agricultural land, giving the impression of space.

Heights, Scale and Form: The majority of buildings within the Pasture Farm, Wallace Farm and Upton Identity Area are either 1 ½ storey or 2 storeys tall. The buildings are a mix of sizes, with large barns and farmhouses contrasting with the smaller cottages. Most of the buildings are detached, although they tend to be clustered together in small farmstead groups.

Roofs and Gables: The historic barns tend to be half hipped, as is The Thatched Cottage in Upton. Field Cottage also has a half hipped roof, suggesting that it was also originally thatched. Elsewhere buildings tend to be gabled. Fully hipped roofs are not traditional within the Identity Area.

Fenestration: Fenestration patterns tend to be irregular, with the majority of buildings having small casement windows. Eyebrow dormers are found on Field Cottage and The Thatch in Upton. These are traditional features of thatched cottages, and tend to be positioned at eaves height.

49 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 14 - KEY BUILDINGS

The hamlets of Dinton, Westlington, Gibraltar and Upton all contain a number of important historic buildings. These include not only listed buildings, but unlisted buildings of local note. Local note buildings are buildings that are not of listable quality but which nevertheless make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area either by virtue of their architecture or their history value within the context of the surrounding settlement.

Within the Dinton, Westlington and Upton Conservation Area there are forty eight St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church Listed Buildings including St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, Dinton Hall, Middle Barn and La Chouette. The Gibraltar Conservation Area contains six Listed Buildings such as the Old Thatch and Bigstrup Farmhouse.

Fourteen buildings within the Dinton and Westlington Conservation Area have been identified as buildings of local note, as have two buildings in the Gibraltar Conservation Area. These buildings are: Laburnam Cottage La Chouette and Plumtree Cottage, Westlington Lane; 1-3 Wootton Lane and the Witchert Storage Building at Peckers, Westlington Green; Pinehill, Saddlestones, Valentines’ Cottage, Witchert Cottage, Hope Cottage, Chestnut Cottage, The Old Boot and The Old Stores, High Street; Starbank House and Westlington Barn, Stars Lane; Dinton C of E School, School Lane; and Rose Cottage and Westlington House, Gibraltar.

All the identified key buildings are easily visible in Dinton Church of England School views into and around the Conservation Areas and are identified on the map opposite. The buildings are described briefly in Appendix V.

The Old Stores

50 Upper Farmhouse

Upton Thatch UptonBarn Field Cottage

LowerFarm Upton

Ford

Road

Blenheim Farm

oad Upton R

Wallace Farm

St Peter’s& StPaul’s Church Dinton Aylesbury Road Lane A418 School Stratford Cottage School DintonHall Meadow Edge House DintonC of E School Lakeside Pasture Barn Farm House

Gibraltar Cottage

Gibraltar oad Old Thatch Upton R The Cottage Bottle& Glass RoseCottage New Road

Dinton Old Post Cottage Office Cottage Dinton, Westlington, UptonandGibraltarConservationAreas Westlington Westlington Lodge BiggsBiggs Lane Cave BarnBarm Westlington Seven Farm Stars Star Lane Church Hill Starbank TheOld Stores House The Dinton, Westlington, Upton & Gibraltar Old The Old Boot HoneysuckleCottage Chapel O Chestnut Cottage ld Boot L Map showing key buildings Boot Saddlestones WitcherWitchert StreetValentineValentines ane Bigstrup Willow Cottage High Cottat Farm Cottage s Listed Building Pinehill CCottage Westlington otta Rose Cottage ge House Forysththia Cottage Lavender Cottage ge Hermit’s Sweet Briar Cottage Magnolia Cottage Wootton FarmhouseBriar 1-3 Local Note Buildings Wootton Lane La Westlington Chouette 1 Jasime Cottage IvyCottage PlumTree Plum Tree Witchert storage Conservation Cottage Cottage The building at Peckers Laburnham Elms ge Cottage Area boundary Mole The Green WestlingtonEnd Lane

Ostler’s Cottage Not to a recognised scale Francklin’s CottageCotta C Crown copyright. All rights reserved. N AVDC Licence No 10009797 2007 51 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

CHAPTER 15 - DETAILS AND MATERIALS

Roofs Traditional Tile: The most common roofing material within Dinton and Upton is traditional plain clay tile. Tile is less common in Westlington, although there are some good examples along the High Street, Historic tiled roofs tend to undulate, particularly along the ridge line if the underlying roof structure has not been altered. These slight changes in height give character to historic properties. The surface on clay tile roofs is often richly textured, due to the natural variation in tile width, curve and colour. Overlapping tiles create interesting patterns and shadows on the roof slope when viewed from the road.

Traditional plain clay tiles Machine-made clay tile

A number of buildings within the Conservation Areas have been re-roofed in modern machine-made tiles which lack the characteristic texture, cambered profile and red-brown or orange-brown colours that are most traditional within the hamlets. The replacement of traditional clay tile with modern machine made brown tiles is a particular problem along the High Street. The most distinctive tiled roof in the village is that of Dinton Hall. The decorative zigzag design of red-brown and yellow plain clay tiles is unique within Dinton, and emphasises the Distinctive tile roof of high status of the building. Dinton Hall

Slate: Many of the 19th century buildings in Westlington have been roofed in natural slate. Slate is often not as richly textured as tile. Slates tend to be thinner, and so do not create the same shadows and lines. However, natural variations in colour between slates can create interest on large roof slopes. Slate becomes much darker in colour and gains a sheen when it is wet. In the main slate roofs are quite shallow in pitch Examples of traditional ranging from approximately 30º to 40º. slate in Westlington There are no examples of traditional slate in Dinton, Upton or Gibraltar.

Examples of traditional slate in Westlington 52 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Thatch: Within Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar a number of the oldest timber-framed properties are thatched, with a mixture of straight gabled and half-hipped ends. There are no examples of fully hipped thatched gable ends. Originally long straw thatch would have been used in these areas, but this has been replaced more recently with combed wheat reed. Newly laid thatch Thatched roofs are often steep, with pitches approaching 55º. Ridges tend to have some decoration, although originally they are likely to have been plain and flush with the roof. A number of the tiled buildings within the Conservation Area have unusually steep pitches, low eaves and tall ridges, signs that they were also originally thatched.

Thatch tends to be yellow when first applied to the roof, but weathers to a grey-brown colour. The texture appears Weathered thatch smooth with little variation in the surface and without pits or dents. Thatch buildings tend therefore to appear uniform in their colour and texture, although there is often variation in the ridge detailing and gable or hip finishes.

A number of buildings within Dinton and Westlington show signs that they were originally thatched (steep roof pitches, and small dormer windows at eaves height). These buildings now Example of where thatch has been replaced have modern roof tiles. with roof tiles in Dinton

Modern Materials: Most of the modern buildings within the Conservation Areas have been roofed in machine made brown tiles. Unlike traditional hand-made clay tile machine made tile tends to be fairly uniform in colour and shape, creating a regular texture to the roof.

There are a number of buildings in Westlington that have had their Traditional plain clay tile original roofing materials replaced with modern machine made tile. The replacement of traditional roofing materials can be a concern within Conservation Areas. There is a risk that further erosion of traditional materials will affect the visual character of the village. The replacement of thatch is a particular problem as it can often necessitate alterations to pitch, height and design of rooflines, greatly altering the external appearance of the building. Machine-made modern tile

The copper roof of Pinehill, High Street, is unique within Westlington, and unusual in the context of the wider Aylesbury Vale. Its distinctive green colour, which builds up over time as the copper oxidises, is unlike any other roof in the Conservation Areas, and is important to views along New Road and High Street. The flat roof shape is also unusual, and reflects the modern design of the house as a whole. Copper roof at Pinehill 53 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Walls: Witchert: Witchert or wytchett, meaning ‘white earth,’ is the name given to a local form of earth construction material. It is the most common historic building material in Dinton, Westlington, Gibraltar and Upton.

Witchert differs from other forms of earth construction material, commonly known as cob, in that it is made from a base of decayed Portland limestone and clay. It is a locally distinctive material, which is confined to the subsoils of a relatively small area of Buckinghamshire and South Oxfordshire. When mixed with water and chopped straw a visually attractive walling material is produced.

Most of the witchert buildings in the two Conservation Areas date from the 17th and 18th centuries. Although there are at least two examples of 19th century witchert building.

Witchert buildings and walls have a characteristic appearance which results in part from the method of their construction. Buildings or walls made of witchert sit on a high plinth of rubble stones, known locally as ‘grumplings’ or ‘grumblings.’ This plinth serves to protect the earth structure from rising damp, allows penetrating rain to soak away and protects against splash-back.

The witchert earth is laid on the stone grumplings in layers Examples of traditional witchert known as ‘berries’ of approximately 45cm (18") in depth, and walling in Dinton and Upton left to dry before the next berry is added. The side of the walls are then trimmed with a sharp spade and often rendered with several coats of lime render and limewash.

In order to support their weight, witchert walls need to be thick. Window and door openings tend to be small to avoid weakening the structure and openings sit beneath simple wooden lintels.

If left unrendered the surface texture of witchert is rough and a light buff colour. Rendered surfaces are smooth and undulating and all witchert buildings lack sharp angles and edges. Although it is a high quality material, and could be used to construct taller buildings, the majority of witchert buildings in Dinton, Upton, Example of rendered Gibraltar and Westlington are between one and two storeys in walling in Dinton height. Traditionally most buildings and walls had steeply pitched thatched roofs which ensured good protection against the weather. Although some of these survive today, in most instances the thatch has been replaced with clay tiles or slate.

54 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Timber: Timber framing is also a common building method within Dinton, Westlington and Upton. In the Gibraltar Conservation Area only Bigstrup Farmhouse and barns are timber framed. Timber was one of the principal building materials within Buckinghamshire until the late 18th century, when brick became much more readily available. The timber framed buildings within the villages are box framed, and tend to be 1 ½ storeys high, with dormer windows at eaves level. Examples of timber framing in Dinton and Westlington

A number of the barns and agricultural buildings around Dinton and Westlington are weatherboarded in timber. This is a traditional finish for agricultural and storage buildings, but is rarely seen on domestic buildings.

Timber Infill: Examples of timber boarding along School Lane Infill panels on timber framed buildings in Dinton tend to be either rendered wattle and daub, witchert, or brick. White or pale cream limewashing is common on rendered infill panels. Brick in-fill panels, such as those at Pasture Farm or Hermits Cottage, are plain rather than decorative.

Brick: There are very few early brick buildings within the two Conservation Areas. Brick was not common as a building material during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. However, by the 19th century it became much more readily available and as such many 19th century buildings make use of brick. Along Westlington High Street many of the unlisted buildings are built in brick, and in Dinton a number of the 19th century buildings including the Old School House are brick constructions.

Brickwork tends to be fairly plain and brick walls often have a fairly uniform texture. Variations in colour create a mottled appearance to building elevations. English Bond and Flemish Bond are the most common bonding patterns, although there are sections of herringbone Examples of brickwork on Summers Cottage and Gable Cottage, Upton Road. decorative brickwork Bricks used in the construction of buildings within the village vary in size, shape and texture according to their age. Early bricks tend to be narrower in width than standard modern dimensions and because they were made by hand are less regular in form and have more textured surfaces than later mass manufactured examples.

Dinton Hall makes use of various decorative brickwork techniques, particularly on the chimney stacks. Decorative brickwork is also seen on Westlington Farm Barns and Westlington and Dinton Church of England School.

55 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Rubblestone: The building stone found around Dinton and Westlington is a pale limestone. The most obvious example of this is the church of St Peter and St Paul, which is built entirely in roughly coursed stonework and has decorative stone buttresses, copings and string courses.

Elsewhere in the villages stone tends to be used in combination with other materials. Particularly characteristic is the use of stone in combination with witchert where coursed rubble stone form the high plinths known as ‘grumplings’ or ‘grumblings’ upon which the witchert sits. In these situations the stone is often uncoursed, and is laid in an irregular manner.

Many of the stone boundary walls around Dinton, Westlington and Upton are built in rubblestone. Many of these are capped with thinner stones laid on edge. This capping is distinctive to the area, although some has been replaced more recently with tile and brick copings. Rubblestone walls in Dinton Chimneys: Nearly all the domestic buildings in the two Conservation Areas have at least one chimney. Often these are small brick constructions, some of which are rendered or painted. Terracotta pots are common, although these tend to be plain in design.

Variety of brick chimneys

Chimney height varies in each Conservation Area. In general stacks on the smaller thatched cottages tend to be low, whilst later brick buildings have taller stacks and pots. Chimney position also varies, although nearly all the stacks are positioned at ridge height. The few examples of eaves level stacks in the area are very tall.

Many of the chimney stacks around Westlington Green and within Dinton and Upton are positioned on end gables. It is likely that a number of these stacks were later additions to older houses. Along Westlington High Street there are also examples of mid ridge stacks. For the most part these are positioned off centre, and in many cases these building have more than one chimney.

Dinton Hall has exceptionally tall, decorative brickwork chimneys, with square and diagonal-set flues and over-sailing brickwork it is Decorative chimneys likely that these stacks are 16th century in date. of Dinton Hall

56 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Windows: Many of the historic buildings within Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar retain their traditional timber windows. There are some examples of metal framed casements in Dinton and Westlington, and traditional leaded lights, for example those at Dinton Hall and The Forge are also common. For the most part fenestration patterns are irregular on the smaller cottages, whereas the larger properties tend to have more regular windows. The majority of houses have small casement style openings, although there are some examples of sliding sash windows.

Some of the largest buldings within the Conservation Area have more decorative window styles. Dinton Hall has distinctive stone mullioned leaded lights, whilst the deep projecting bay windows of Westlington House are unique in the area.

Dormers are a traditional feature on the smallest cottages within the Conservation Areas. These are often coupled with low eaves and storey heights. On larger, more recent, buildings within the Conservation Areas dormers are less common, but projecting gabled bays are seen in a number of locations.

Within Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar there are very few examples of inappropriate modern window replacements. New uPVC windows tend to have much thicker frames and glazing bars than their historic counterparts, and so are easily distinguishable from traditional windows.

Stone mullions with Dormer Dormer Metal casement leaded lights at Dinton Hall

UPVc Window Timber casement with shutters Timber casement

Timber sash Timber sash Modern timber Projecting bay at 57 top opening window Westlington House Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Doors: Timber is the traditional material for doors in Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar. Most 18th century and earlier buildings have retained traditional style doors, either in solid timber or with a single, small, glazed panel. Doors on later buildings have larger areas of glazing and in some cases have fanlights above or windows on either side.

On the older properties doors tend to be small, and are often located off-centre on the building frontage. The door positions on some of the oldest buildings may indicate that the houses were originally open hall constructions that have since been added to and altered. Most of the later buildings within the Conservation Areas have their doors centrally located. The Victorian and Edwardian houses have especially large door openings.

58 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Boundaries: Hedges and Trees: Throughout both Conservation Areas hedges are the predominant boundary treatments. Most are tall, with a number of large trees and shrubs within them. Those that are shorter tend to be along domestic boundaries and coupled with short walls. The majority of domestic hedges are neatly trimmed, some with unusual undulating designs.

Variety of hedges throughtout the Conservation Area Walls: There are two types of wall found commonly within Dinton, Westlington and Upton. Gibraltar Conservation Area contains two examples of modern walling - one in brick and one rendered, but no examples of traditional walling.

Examples of different forms of rubblestone walling within Dinton, Westlington and Upton

Rubblestone walls, such as that around the Churchyard and Dinton Hall, are mostly found in Dinton, although there are also some examples along Westlington High Street. These walls show a variety of coping details, including tile and brick, large stone blocks, and smaller stones laid on end.

59 Witchert walls, on tall rubblestone bases, are found in Westlington High Street and Upton. These walls are often limewashed in pale colours. The tall rubble bases, or ‘grumplings’, protect the witchert the effects of from damp. This type of wall construction is typical of the area, and is locally distinctive.

There are some examples of low rubblestone walls with fencing or hedging above. It is possible that these boundaries originally had Traditional witchert in Dinton witchert walls which have been removed. The loss of locally distinctive witchert walling is of concern as it has a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Timber Fencing: Along many of the street edges post and rail fencing is common. This fencing is often seen in association with hedges and trees, and reflects the area’s history as a collection of agricultural settlements. Post and rail fencing allows for the delineation of boundaries without blocking views into and across open areas. When combined with Low rubblestone walls with fencing hedging and trees the boundaries form soft edges to roads and brickwork above and plots.

Close boarded timber fencing is not a traditional boundary material within Dinton, Westlington, Upton or Gibraltar. There are some examples but these tend to be confined to the rear boundaries of modern properties. Close boarded fencing creates hard edges along street frontages. The replacement of boundary hedges or traditional walls with Close boarded timber fencing is not close boarded fencing often has a detrimental impact on traditional in the Conservation Area the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Brick: Brick boundary walls are rare within the Conservation Areas, although the school and some of the properties along School Lane have small sections of brick wall. Brick walling is not a traditional feature of Dinton, Westlington, Upton or Gibraltar. Traditional post and rail timber fencing in Westlington

Examples of brick walling 60 Surface Treatments: There are very few examples of historic surface treatments remaining in Dinton, Westlington, Upton or Gibraltar. Historically the roads and paths within the village are unlikely to have been paved, although some areas (such as yards) may have been cobbled or bricked. Along a section of High Street there is a drain which runs from Old Chapel to Mound Pleasant. This follows the line of a historic stream and is a good example of a surviving historic street drainage system. Elsewhere the surviving footpath around the church at Dinton is a good example of cobbled paving. In some parts of the village the secondary roads are still not paved, but the primary routes have all been tarmaced over in recent years.

Kerbstone on Dinton Green Rubblestone path to the church

CHAPTER 16 - NEGATIVE FACTORS AND ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Aylesbury Vale District Council intends to develop a Management Strategy for all the Conservation Areas within the District. This document will will set short, medium and long term objectives for the successful management of the built historic environment.

Shown below are a number of enhancement opportunities specific to Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar. Grit pile on the corner of High Street and New Road

Outbuildings along School Lane Telegraph pole in Upton Telegraph pole and street signage in Dinton

61 CHAPTER 17 - GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Aisles Part of a church. Running parallel to the nave (main body of the church) and usually separated from it by arcades or colonnades. Usually lower in height than the nave. Bays Regular visual or structural divisions within the design of a building. Bond The pattern in which bricks or masonry are arranged within a wall.

Buttress A projection which is physically attached to a wall providing support and giving it greater strength. Casement A metal, timber or plastic frame in which the opening lights are hung window on hinges rather than sliding sashes or pivot hung. Canopy A covering or hood above a door window. Capping The top course/covering (tile, stone, brick) of a wall designed to protect the wall and throw off rainwater. Also called coping. Chancel The eastern part of a church containing the choir and sanctuary. Cills A horizontal piece of timber, or metal or a course of bricks or stone, forming the bottom of a window or door opening. Combed Form of thatch using cereal straw (usually wheat). Produced by passing wheat reed the straw through a reed comber which removes the grain, but does not crush the stem. Grouped in bundles with the stems laid in the same direction. Coping The top course/covering (tile, stone, brick) of a wall designed to protect the wall and throw off rainwater. Also called capping. Cruck A pair of curved timbers which rise from ground level or the top of a wall to join together at the apex of the roof. Cul-de-sac A dead-end street, alley or passage. Curtilage The land contained within the boundary of a property. Dentillated Effect created by the projection of alternate headers to brickwork create a tooth-like pattern. Diaper work Pattern created by the use of different coloured or vitrified bricks. Dogtooth Pattern created by bricks laid diagonally to expose one corner pattern creating a serrated effect. Dormer A window inserted vertically into a sloping roof with window its own roof and sides.

62 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Dressed A surface finish e.g. planed timber, worked masonry. Eaves The bottom edge of a roof slope which overhangs the wall face. Ecclesiastical Term relating to the Christian Church. Elevation The face of a building. Enclosure A form of land subdivision where small strip fields are amalgamated to form larger fields which were in turn enclosed. Up until 1750 this was a piecemeal process. Between 1750 and 1850 Enclosure Acts of Parliament made the practice widespread and changed the face of the countryside. An Enclosure map is a map showing the post Enclosure field divisions. English Bond Pattern created by bricks being laid in alternate courses of headers and stretchers. Eyebrow Where the roofing material (thatch) has been swept over the dormer continuation of dormer in a the roof form. Fan lights Any glazed opening above a doorway. Fenestration The arrangement of windows in an elevation. Flemish bond Pattern created by bricks being laid in alternate headers and stretchers. Flemish Pattern created by bricks where three stretchers are laid between garden- each header. wall bond Also called Sussex bond. Fixed pane A window pane which does not open. Flush fitting windows Window panes positioned on the same plane. Gable The end wall of a building. Headers A brick or stone where the longest dimension is positioned at right angles to the surface of the wall. Hipped gable A roof that slopes on all three sides at the gable. Infill panels Section of wall between timber frames. Usually infilled with lath and plaster (inter-woven strips of timber which are plastered) or bricks. Joists Parallel timbers, laid horizontally onto which a floor is laid or a ceiling fixed. Kerb A stone or block at the edge of a footpath which divides it from the carriageway. Keyblocks The block at the centre of an arch which works in compression to hold or keystone the arch together.

63 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

Lancet A tall narrow window with a pointed arch to the top. A form of arched window windows founded from the end of the 12th to mid 13th centuries and in late 18th and 19th century Gothic Revival architecture. Lintel A horizontal beam spanning an opening which supports the wall above. Long straw Form of thatch using cereal straw (usually wheat, though sometimes rye). Length of stem usually more than 80cms and grouped into loose bundles with stems laid in different directions. Pane The glass light of a window as in window pane. Panelled A sunken or raised section of a door, ceiling or timber lining to a wall (wainscot), surrounded by moulding. Parapet A low wall along a roof, balcony or terrace. Permeability Ease of movement within an area/passage of people and/or vehicles. Pier Similar to a column or pillar but more massive in construction. Pitch The slope or incline of a roof. Plain clay tile The common clay, roofing tile. Plan The layout of a building. Plinth The bottom section of a building designed to suggest that the building is sitting on a platform. Plot The land occupied by a building and its grounds. Polite The term implies that aesthetics and architectural fashion have architecure architecture consciously been given consideration above functional requirements in the design of a building. Proportion The relationship between parts/elements of a building in terms of their size and scale. Quoin The corner of a building emphasised with raised brick or stonework laid in a pattern. Rafters An inclined timber forming the sides of a roof. Render Where a surface is finished in a material such as plaster, stucco or pebbledash. Ridge line The uppermost horizontal line of a roof, situated at the apex of the rafters. Roughcast Rough textured render. Rubble Rough and random sized un-worked stone.

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Sash window Windows where the frames are positioned in vertical or horizontal grooves and are capable of being raised or lowered vertically or slid from side to side. Scale The size of a building or parts of a building considered in relation to other elements, objects or features for example the landscape, another building or the size of a person. Spalling Where damage occurs to the front face of stone or brickwork as a result of frost action or chemical action. Stack A chimney. Stretchers A brick or stone laid with its longest dimension parallel to the face of the wall. Stringcourse A horizontal band of moulding, usually located between storeys on a building. Terrace A row of adjoining houses, usually similar in appearance. Tie beam A horizontal timber connecting a pair of principal rafters designed to prevent the roof spreading. Timber- This term implies that the main structure of the building framed is formed from timber. Trusses Timber frames which support the roof, normally equally spaced along the length of the building. uPVC Plastic framed windows (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride). Vault An arched roof covering a room or space. Vernacular Traditional local building designs and techniques using locally sourced materials. Village morphology Morphology is the analysis of the layout and form of places. Vitrified brickwork Bricks with a glazed finish typically darker in colour. Wall-plate Horizontal timber at the top of a wall to which are attached joists, rafters and roof trusses.

Water reed (Phragmites australis) wetland plant using for thatching roofs. Traditionally its use was confined to Norfolk, the Fens and small areas along the south coast. Its use is now widespread and most water reed is sourced from abroad.

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CHAPTER 18 - GUIDANCE AND USEFUL INFORMATION

Guidance English Heritage & Planning Advisory Service, DCMS, Guidance on the Management of Conservation Areas, 2006.

English Heritage & Planning Advisory Service, Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals, 2006.

HMSO, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Chapter 9.

Department of the Environment, Planning Policy Guidance (PPG15), Planning and the Historic Environment.

Department of the Environment, Planning Policy Guidance (PPG16), Planning and the Historic Environment.

Aylesbury Vale District Council, Advisory Guide, Conservation Areas June 2003.

Aylesbury Vale District Council, Advisory Guide, Listed Buildings, July 2003.

Aylesbury Vale District Council, Advisory Guide, Building Materials, January 16th 1995.

Aylesbury Vale District Council, Advisory Guide, The Conversion of Traditional Farm Buildings, July 18th 1990.

Aylesbury Vale District Council, Advisory Guide, Thatching 30th August 2000.

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Bibliography

English Heritage & Planning Advisory Service, DCMS, Guidance on the Management of Conservation Areas, 2006.

English Heritage & Planning Advisory Service, Guidance on Conservation Area Appraisals, 2006.

HMSO, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, Chapter 9.

Department of the Environment, Planning Policy Guidance (PPG15), Planning and the Historic Environment.

Royal Commission Buckinghamshire, Vol. 2, 1911.

Victoria History of the County of Buckinghamshire, Vol.4, Dawsons of Pall Mall

Pevsner, Nikolaus and Williamson, Elizabeth, The Buildings of England, Buckinghamshire, Penguin. 2000.

Young, F J L, Twigs on a Branch of the Young Family Tree, Fredrick J.L.Young, 1999.

Zeepvat, B. and King, N An Archaeological Assessment of Dinton Hall, Dinton, Buckinghamshire. Unpublished report by Archaeological Services and Consultancy Ltd. 2000.

Acknowledgements

Dinton with Ford and Upton Parish Council

Buckinghamshire County Archaeological Service

Buckinghamshire County Council, Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies

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Appendix I - Map showing Conservation Area boundary N Upton Map showing boundary Conservation Area boundary Crown copyright. All rights reserved. C Features on the boundary arethe included conservation in area AVDC Licence No 10009797 2007 Dinton, Westlington, Upton & Gibraltar Not to a recognised scale

Farm Farm Lane Wallace Wallace

Barn School

Lakeside

oad po R Upton Dinton Hall Dinton The

Road Wilderness

Ford oad ane

Boot L

po R Upton ig Lane Biggs

Westlington

Street

trLane Star

High yebr Road Aylesbury

New Road etigo Lane Westlington A418 House Westlington Bottle & Glass Farm Bigstrup Gibraltar

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Appendix II - Conservation Area contraints Below is a list of the types of development that are controlled by Conservation Area designation, and therefore require planning permission or Conservation Area Consent. This list is not exhaustive.

Demolition of all and in some cases part, of any building or structure.

An extension that exceeds 50 cubic metres or 10% of the volume of the original house as it was first built or as it stood on 1st July 1948.

Cladding, any part of the outside of a building with materials such as stone, artificial stone, timber, plastic or tile.

Any addition or alteration to the shape of a roof, such as the addition of a dormer window.

An extension or alteration to any structure within the grounds of a building, with a cubic content greater than 10 cubic metres, such as a garden shed.

Positioning a satellite dish on a wall, roof or chimney that faces a road or public space

Tighter advertisement controls.

Trees within Conservation Areas with stem diameters of 75mm or greater, measured 1.5 metres above ground are protected. Anyone wishing to work on such trees must normally give six weeks written notice to the Local Authority. Replacement planting duties may apply.

For further information please contact the Conservation Areas Officer at Aylesbury Vale District Council on (01296) 585748.

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Appendix III - Planning Policy Below is a list of Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Planning Policies relating to the management of Conservation Areas and the wider built historic environment. These Policies should be read in conjunction with National legislation and guidance on the historic environment.

GP.35 Design of new development proposals GP.38 Landscaping of new development proposals GP.39 Existing trees and hedgerows GP.40 Retention of existing trees and hedgerows GP.45 “Secured by Design” considerations GP.53 New development in and adjacent to Conservation Areas GP.59 Preservation of archaeological remains GP.60 Development of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest

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Appendix IV - Ford Ford is a small settlement close to Dinton and Westlington. The village contains a number of important historic buildings, most of which are listed, and is close to a number of known archaeological sites.

In June 2002 a Priority List for the designation and review of the District’s Conservation Areas was agreed by Cabinet. At this time it was suggested that the Conservation Area Officer should look at the hamlet of Ford for possible designation. In November 2005, in response to new and significant growth pressures within the District resulting from the proposed expansion of Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, the Priority List was revised. In April 2007 an initial survey of Ford was undertaken by the Conservation Area Officer, in association with the review of the existing Conservation Areas at Dinton, Westlington and Gibraltar.

Whilst the village is attractive, and has retained its traditional links with the rural economy and landscape, the surviving historic buildings and features are dispersed over a wide area, and consequently the settlement does not have an easily identifiable cohesive historic core.

General rules for designation: As a general rule the following features are included within Conservation Area boundaries in AVDC:

Buildings of architectural or historic importance

Visually distinctive or historic property boundaries, hedges, walls and trees

Historic village greens and important public open spaces, where these show a clear relationship with other elements of the historic built environment

Surviving historic street patterns

Unusual historic man-made landscape features

To maintain consistency and to avoid diluting designations the following are not generally included within Conservation Areas: Modern buildings whose historic value is limited in the context of designation criteria

Buildings that have been greatly altered or have lost most of their original features

Large areas of open space, unless of proven historic or archaeological importance

Areas where historic plots have been subdivided or obscured by later building

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Location, Context and History: Ford is a small hamlet roughly 1 ½ miles to the south of Dinton and Westlington, and 3 miles to the south west of Aylesbury.

Initial desk based assessment of historic maps and plans shows that there has been settlement in the area for many centuries. There are a number of archaeological features in the area, including possible deserted mediaeval villages and a Roman site. Historically the settlement appears to have been made up of a collection of dispersed farms around a crossroads. Historic maps show an historic green or common along one edge of the crossroads.

The earliest surviving building within Ford dates from the 15th century. The majority of the historic buildings within the village are 17th and 18th century properties. Most of these early buildings are listed, and as a result already benefit from the increased protections associated with listing. Originally the 17th and 18th century farmsteads in Ford would have been separated by areas of working agricultural land. Most of the farms within Ford are set back from the road edge, surrounded by associated agricultural and storage buildings.

There are examples of 19th and early 20th century buildings within Ford, most of these are small cottages that are likely to have housed farm workers. Maps dating from the mid to late 19th century show orchards and agricultural land surrounding the crossroads at the centre of the village.

Today the crossroads remains the central hub of Ford and is an important focal point within the village, providing views along the four spoke like roads that radiate from it. During the 20th century much of the land in the centre of Ford has been developed. Infill building, such as that on two of the prominent corners of the crossroads, has obscured the historic layout of the hamlet’s green and orchards. Elsewhere in the village, particularly along Stockwell Lane, large historic fields have been divided into small plots for housing development.

Possible designation of Ford as a Conservation Area: When designating Conservation Areas it is important that boundaries are easily identifiable on the ground, and follow extant features such as boundary hedges and building lines.

Because of the nature of Ford, with its dispersed layout and clusters of historic farm buildings separated by large fields and pockets of modern development, it is impossible to draw a single, logical and cohesive boundary line around the historic features of interest.

There are eight separate areas of historic interest within the village, each one comprising two or three buildings and their associated garden space. Seven of these clusters are historic farmhouses and their associated outbuildings. Of these six are listed, and therefore already benefit from stronger protections than would be provided by Conservation Area designation.

As a general rule, designation of large areas of green space and farmland is avoided. Unless an

72 Dinton, Westlington, Upton and Gibraltar Conservation Areas

area of agricultural land has proven historic or archaeological importance it is extremely difficult to justify its inclusion within a Conservation Area. Such designations would be afforded little to no extra protection by the planning system and would be unlikely to stand up at planning appeals.

Historically the centre of the settlement, around the crossroads, was not heavily developed. The 1845 map shows the area to be largely undeveloped agricultural land, although an earlier map from 1770 does show some building along the northern side of Chapel Road. If there were 16th and 17th century buildings in this area nothing remains of these properties above ground today. The modern development along Stockwell Lane and Chapel Road has unfortunately obscured the historic field layout in the area, limiting its historic interest in the context of Conservation Area designation.

Conclusion: For the reasons given above it is unlikely that the hamlet of Ford as a whole is of sufficient architectural and historic interest to warrant Conservation Area designation. However, this conclusion in no way reflects on the quality of the historic buildings and farmsteads in the village, many of which are both well maintained and of considerable interest individually.

The historic buildings within Ford, and the village plan form are well preserved, but the lack of cohesion of the area would make it impossible to draw a logical and easily readable Conservation Area boundary. It is also unlikely that designation would afford the areas in question much in the way of extra protection, since the majority of the important buildings and features are already covered by listed buildings legislation and Tree Preservation Orders.

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